Walkerville’s Donjuan ‘The Iron Dragon’ defends his crown
Scheduled to fight in an eight-round bout, it only took Walkerville’s Donjuan ‘The Iron Dragon’ van Heerden 2:36 to win his recent fight by knockout.
Gauteng champion Donjuan van Heerden recently dominated in the ring and gave spectators a sensational bout when he went toe-to-toe with Eastern Cape middleweight champion Durandt Verwey.
The local boxing star, who received the Prospect of the Year award at the South African Boxing Awards, said preparation breeds confidence.
This is after being in action in an eight-round non-title bout on July 21 in the Unleashed Combat Sports tournament at the Portuguese Hall in Turffontein, walking away with an impressive win.
“I want to thank my manager, Colleen McAusland, and coaches Fatti, John and Leron for investing time with me in the gym.
I would also like to thank my girlfriend, Shaunty Bloem, for her continuous support and for making sure I have the right food and nutrients in my diet. Hard work will always pay off, and this is just another proof of it,” Van Heerden said.
Ahead of his fight, he said he was misjudged, which he used to his advantage.
“One thing about me is once I’m under pressure, I perform better and don’t fold under pressure. Great athletes perform better under pressure, so put pressure on me,” he said.
On August 12, he will fight Dieumerci Mbidi in a 12-round title fight for the WBA Pan African title.
‘More than just a win’
Van Heerden said it was more than just a win when he recently went against his counterpart.
“My dad was shot and killed on December 27, 2018, and his murderer got sentenced to prison on July 21, the same day as my fight. It almost took five years to settle his matter. They murdered him in cold blood right in front of me. He took his last breath in my arms,” he explained.
He said he was glad they served justice and his father’s killer was finally behind bars.
“There was no way I was going to lose this fight; I did it for my dad. And I want to thank my father for getting me into the sport of boxing and investing all of his time and effort in me. While doing that, he made me the tough man I am today. Not a day goes by when I think about him. I miss him with all of my heart,” said Van Heerden.
He also extended his gratitude to his sponsors, who continue to support his dream of one day being a world champion.
“Special thanks to my sponsors, MK8 Diamond Security, GST SA, Anarchy Monster Bullies, Advanced IT Solutions, My-Fi, Pot Unos Infamous Hotsauces, Ynot Connect, Guniwheel, SASL and the Midvaal Local Municipality,” he said.
https://albertonrecord.co.za/349553/gauteng-champ-presented-with-prospect-of-the-year-award/
